New restaurants and bars opening in London this week

This week, Jackson Boxer unveils his new Exmouth Market restaurant, there's an arrival from Mykonos, and a seafood bar crosses the street.

Vesper

Clerkenwell - 8-10 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QA

Jackson Boxer has been very busy in recent years, opening restaurants as varied as the very French Henri in Covent Garden, helping out on the tacos at Taq and revamping Orasay as Dove. Looking at the menu, this new Exmouth Market opening seems much closer to Dove than the others (although it is taking over an ex-Taqueria site). Snacks like a croquette Arnold Bennett and a glazed lamb shoulder with merguez, devilled kidney and burnt aubergine have been promised. Will there be an off-menu burger like Dove, though? We'll have to see.

Opening date: 26 May 2026

Nammos

Mayfair - 15 Berkeley St, London W1J 8DY

Nammos is best known for being a summertime-only restaurant/beach club in Mykonos, but given our usual weather, this will be what they're calling an "urban expression" of the original. It's taking over what was Il Borro, which didn't last long (but wasn't helped by seemingly never-ending building works around it). Like a few recent openings in Mayfair, the menu has a Mediterranean focus with dishes like the pictured Aubergine Mille-Feuille with feta mousse.

Opening date: 26 May 2026

Brutes of Mayfair

Mayfair - 34A Bruton Place, London W1J 6NR

Brutes is a new cocktail bar opening on Briton Place (where you'll also find The Guinea, Silca, Maza and more). Run by ex-JKS folk (where they worked in places like Kitchen Table, Lyles and Ambassadors Clubhouse), one of the key elements here will be the "martini card" which will let you construct your perfect martini. The drinks are even finished with toppings like pickled onion Monster Munch and chicken scratchings. It'll be a good-looking affair too, as apparently the bar staff will be decked out in 1960s-style white bartender jackets.

Opening date: 28 May 2026

The Sea, The Sea

Chelsea - 243 Pavilion Road, London, SW1X 0AW

The Sea, The Sea has been a big hit in Chelsea since 2019 as a combo fishmonger and wine bar. They decided that the time had come to move to bigger premises, but they didn't go far. The new venue is literally right across the street. The fishmonger, deli and wine bar remain downstairs but for this new venue, they've added something extra - a new seafood bistro upstairs. Chef Nick Marsden is in charge (previously Dovetale, The Laughing Heart) and his dishes include skate wing, Trombetta courgette, nettle and Gordal olives and even potato ice cream with smoked eel.

Opening date: Deli and wine bar open now, bistro on 29 May 2026

Events

26 May (Brixton) - Prue Leith will be speaking at a special afternoon tea event at The Clink in Brixton, with a menu that includes freshly baked scones served with Prue’s own marmalade. Tickets are £55.

26 May (City of London) - At Galvin La Chapelle, their chef director Arturo Granato is teaming up with chef Tom Brown for one night which will be hosted by Chris and Jeff Galvin. Dishes include Lobster Toast with lardo and crispy chilli oil and Duck Liver Parfait with spicy cherries and popcorn crumb. Tickets are £125.

28 May (Mayfair) - Pavyllon London’s Counter Culture series is back, teaming up with Florence Mae Maglanoc, chef-founder of Donia for a six-course dinner, mixing flavour-led Filipino cooking with Pavyllon’s French cuisine. Tickets are £95. Dishes include scallop kinilaw and crispy pork belly lechon with signature Donia liver sauce.

30 May (Marylebone, 12-3pm) - Bleecker are bringing over Alvin Cailan, founder of Eggslut, and he'll be cooking up the Double Thin and Crispy, a burger he’s built with the Bleecker team and on offer for one day only.

30 May (Cambridge Heath) - Chef Diarmuid Goodwin (ex Sager & Wilde) is teaming up with Guzzle for an early summer feast with a spotlight on Irish producers. Dishes include spring lamb stuffed with wild herbs like sorrel, alongside hay-smoked baby potatoes and scallions grilled in chive butter. Will Gee and the team from 107 will be behind the low-intervention wine list. Tickets are £65.

Here's what opened last week

MAAI (Clapham) - Great British Menu Champion of Champions opened her first solo restaurant.

Nancy's (London Bridge) - A new cocktail bar that comes with a Negroni cart.

Looking for more of the latest openings?